Jazz Guitar Micky Baker (Guitar Books) [Paperback]

Mickey Baker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1992 | Series: Guitar Books

A self-instructor written by one of the most outstanding jazz guitarists of today. Includes how to play chords the modern way, vamps and fill-ins, bop-blues, bounce blues, runs, introductions, technique, theory, and much more. New, completely revised edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales America; Revised edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0860010163
• ISBN-13: 978-0860010166
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic- but not the best place to start., July 24, 2003

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jazz Guitar Micky Baker (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

Back in the 1950s- and well into the 60s- there wasn't much in the way of Jazz guitar literature for the beginner. You listened and copied, or you found a good teacher. Back then, Baker's book was a godsend to beginner. He actually had the hip chords they'd been hearing diagrammed out, and dozens of hip riffs and lines written out, too. It was a great place to start from, and many guitarists will tell you that this is the book that got them going. Even Pete Townsend says this is where he learned his chords from. A lot of guitarists looking for a good jazz self-study course have looked at this book, and wondered if there was really much to be learned from few simple chord exercises and a few dozen riffs. Sure, there were a lot of good chords to be learned from it, but beyond that...?

Actually, there is a tremendous amount of information to be found in this book, but only if you follow Mickey's directions. He doesn't give you a lot of why- just "do this until you have it down." But if you do that, you'll find yourself internalizing a lot of important rules and skills that other teachers spell out. Those hokey sounding chord progressions that Mickey wants you to memorize and transpose to other keys are actually teaching you all the standard jazz substitutions. Mickey does spell out some of these rules in the second half of the book, but if you've done your homework you'll find that it's much easier to apply these rules to soloing if you've actually internalized them than if he had just told you that you could use a Lydian or Aeolian sub for a dominant chord in a 12 bar blues.

The second half of this book is all about learning to solo, and a lot of non-readers have looked at it, and been put off by the lack of tab. But you don't need reading skills beyond that absolute minimum to use this book. Mickey has provided all the fingerings below the staff for each exercise. It may be a little unfamiliar at first, but by the time you finish this book- and it'll take a year to really do it right- you'll find that you have some pretty good reading skills, too.

Even though it was written back in the 1950s, the riffs and chords Mickey teaches sound just as hip today. Some guitarists will quibble with some of Mickey's choices, or his chord names, but it's more a matter of opinion than a fault in the book. For example, a lot of contemporary guitarists would play something like Bm7-Bb7-Am7... rather than Mickey's straight descending m7ths (Bm7-Bbm7-Am7..) today, but that's something the student will learn just by listening to guitarists today.

In short, if you know a few dozen chords, you can strum along, and have very basic music reading skills, and you're confused by all the different jazz guitar books out there- this is the one you should start with. If you follow Mickey's directions, practice every exercise until you've memorized it, and written out and practiced all the transpositions, too, by the time you finish the book you'll be able to comp and solo over most any jazz tune.

[n.b.- this edition was edited and re-typeset from the original 1950s edition, and when they reset it they introduced a number of errors. I'd suggest you buy instead the original edition in the yellow and black cover.]

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Jazz Book. 52 weeks of lessons in one Great book!, October 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jazz Guitar Micky Baker (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

This book explains jazz guitar and is a great starting point for any guitarist wanting to learn jazz. This is the first book I've seen which breaks jazz down to simple lessons. It has 52 lessons each a week long and all in one book, a must for all upcoming jazz guitarists. It could save your gig!!!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a hurry?..start here, March 8, 2006

By 

R Foose "philognosist" (Quincy, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jazz Guitar Micky Baker (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

I bought this book in 1966. I've used it to get many of my students stared in jazz guitar. There ARE many better books, with more theory and interesting substitutions. But this one will have you playing good sounding stuff from the beginning. This book was written for people who wanted to know how to play the music they were listening to. If you like 50's and 60's jazz and standards, this book will jump start into how to get those sounds. Once you can play them, you'll need Arnie Berle, Andrew Green, Mark Levine, etc. to fill you in on where this stuff came from, and how to go on from here. Like another reviewer said, the book's been around for quite awhile. There's a reason for that...it's quick, to the point, and great sounds.